'Obvious remorse' and guilty plea saved man from a longer sentence, says judge Remorse and a guilty plea resulted in a lesser sentence for the man who last year stabbed Constable Jacky Chu Chun-kwok, leaving the policeman paralysed. Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee, in the Court of First Instance, sentenced Liu Chi-yung, 23, to nine months in prison for possessing an offensive weapon with intent and to a further six years for wounding with intent to resist arrest, to be served concurrently. Mr Justice Pang said he had taken into account that Liu, who surrendered to police soon after the July 19 attack, had pleaded guilty on March 20 and had shown 'obvious remorse' by apologising to Constable Chu's family. Speaking at Kwong Wah Hospital, Constable Chu's 60-year-old mother, Lee Lai-hing, said she had forgiven her son's attacker, but his wife, Chu Choi Yin-ping, said she could not. 'It doesn't matter how many years he is sentenced to serve - it wouldn't help my husband in any way,' Mrs Chu said. During his trial, Liu admitted that he had been stopped by Constable Chu near the entrance to the Po On Market in Cheung Sha Wan. As the police officer examined his ID card, Liu pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed the officer once in 'his front' before fleeing. Witnesses reported hearing Constable Chu yelling, 'don't go away' as he gave chase, while holding his hands to his injured neck. Constable Chu collapsed soon after, suffering severe blood loss. Mr Justice Pang noted that it was probably thanks to the quick reaction of bystanders, who rushed to staunch Constable Chu's bleeding, that the officer survived at all. Liu, who had cleaned himself up at a shopping arcade, considered killing himself after watching a news report of the attack. He called his mother, told her what he had done and said he would surrender. At 1.35pm Liu approached police in Prince Edward MTR and told them 'I stabbed a policeman once with a knife' and that he wanted to surrender. He was arrested and told investigators he had bought the knife intending to use it to rob people. He said he had recently left home after fighting with family members and had run out of money. Liu said he had not eaten since the morning before. After sleeping in a park he had been roaming the streets in search of a victim when he encountered Constable Chu. Mr Justice Pang said although Liu's guilty pleas and apology to Chu's family showed remorse, his crime was serious and showed a 'total disregard of the law'. 'Those who attack police ... should expect to face a heavy penalty,' he said. 'Law enforcement officers must be sufficiently protected. Their authority must be respected.'